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ECPE Writing - Sample Article (Banning Cars from the City)

This is the fourth sample article that conforms to the writing section requirements of the ECPE (Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English) of the University of Michigan.  My first post to deal with articles , explains what needs to be present in the piece of writing candidates compose. Examiners are looking for articles that elaborate on ideas and have solid arguments; are well organized; make use of a wide lexical and grammatical range; have an original ring to them (in other words,

C2 Sample Essay 20 (Internet Research in Education)


Writing at C2 level (Proficient User) on English language examinations is the same no matter the awarding body when it comes to writing essays. If you are a candidate giving an exam in English, make sure you read my earlier post What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog? to get the most out of the sample essays provided on this blog. 

If you are not taking an exam but need ideas on whether the internet is dumbing students down or enriching their learning experience, then read on and note down what you deem useful. If you intend on using this essay as part of an assignment, remember to paraphrase so as not to plagiarize.


The following topic was taken from a Michigan State University English Language Examinations publication (Go For MSU - CELP (C2), Super Course System). As you will notice, the topic is similar to what candidates would expect in any other C2 level examination in that examiners want to see a well-organized, coherent and cohesive discussion of the issue with arguments, explanations and examples.







Nowadays, almost all high school students have access to personal computers and the Internet, and rely on them heavily to complete assignments and projects. Do you think that Internet research enriches a student’s education or does it take all the thinking out of schoolwork? What could be done to ensure that students use the Internet wisely? Be sure to support your opinion with examples, reasons and explanations.



            With developments made in technology, a more enriching educational experience has been made possible for teachers and students alike. The availability of online resources has allowed teachers to assign homework that will instruct students in research methods and the latter are bound to find more facts quicker than they would had they lived several decades earlier, when the term ‘modem’ was unknown to all. Nevertheless, many see the use of the internet in research not as a rewarding experience, but a way of “dumbing down” students, which I find is not entirely the case.

            To begin with, those who support the idea of assignments being done with the help of computers and online resources state three reasons why this is. Firstly, facts abound on the internet. The variety of resources by experts or eyewitnesses is unimaginable. From written texts to videos, online journals and books, to PowerPoint presentations, a student is sure to find information they would never have been able to if they were to simply pop round to the local library. This variety of sources makes learning more enjoyable and students will no doubt see the value of the work they do, which brings us to the second reason – interest in learning. While surfing the net to find information, links provide quick access to other related facts that might pique a student’s interest and curiosity. For instance, if a student is doing research on the Victorian era as part of an assignment on Charles Dickens’s novel Oliver Twist, they will click on links redirecting them to 19th century city life, boarding schools, the Industrial Revolution and the like. Through such links, they will not only learn about one aspect of a book or time period, but many. Finally, why would anyone be critical of the internet if the same research were done in a library? Instead of opening up a volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica, students would simply log onto the very same encyclopedia online.

            Nevertheless, the drawbacks of drafting assignments on computers using online resources are extant. Students never learn how to take advantage of library material available, such as microfiche or rarer texts kept in the closed stacks section of a library, all of which are validated sources of information, unlike online pages which may contain erroneous facts. Possibly the greatest threat of all is the tendency students have to copy-paste entire passages from an online text without checking to see if what is stated is true or without paraphrasing  in their own words, which makes critics of the internet justified in saying that thinking is taken out of schoolwork.

            Contrary to all this, solutions are possible. Teachers can list requirements when handing out assignments making it mandatory for students to visit a library and use at least three sources which must be included in the project’s bibliography. Programs that check for plagiarism are also available and teachers should stress the penalties this academic crime entails if detected.

            All in all, educating students does not mean “teach the old and shun the new”. As technology advances with time, so must teachers adapt to it. Gathering information from a variety of sources has always been the bottom line and now that bottom line must come to include the internet as well.

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